A body structure has an inner region shape that defines a cavity within the body structure. The cavity within the body structure is designed to hold a fluid. A chuck includes a top that is capable of holding a substrate, and a body portion that has a complementary shape with respect to the inner region shape of the body structure. The complementary shape of the chuck body portion at least partially aligns with the inner region shape that defines the body structure cavity. The chuck body portion is designed to move into the cavity of the body structure and displace the fluid held within the cavity, so as to shift the fluid over the top of the chuck. The body portion of the chuck is also designed to move out of the cavity of the body structure, so as to remove the fluid from over the top of the chuck.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate, comprising: a vessel having an interior cavity defined by a cavity surface contour; a chuck having a top surface defined to hold a substrate such that a top surface of the substrate to be plated is maintained in a substantially level orientation facing upward, the chuck designed to fit within the vessel interior cavity such that a gap exists between a periphery of the chuck and the vessel interior cavity surface, the chuck including a body portion formed below the top surface of the chuck, the body portion having an exterior surface contour that substantially matches the cavity surface contour; and a shaft connected to a bottom region of the chuck and designed to effect movement of the chuck in a vertical direction within the vessel interior cavity such that a lowering of the chuck to bring the exterior surface of the chuck body portion within close proximity to the vessel interior cavity surface causes an electroless plating solution present between the chuck and vessel to be displaced upward and flow in a substantially uniform manner through the gap between the periphery of the chuck and vessel interior cavity surface and over the top surface of the chuck.
2. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: one or more fluid dispensers positioned to direct a rinsing fluid toward the chuck such that the top surface of the substrate when present will be impacted by the rinsing fluid.
3. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: a valve actuated supply line disposed to supply electroless plating solution to a region between the chuck and the cavity surface of the vessel.
4. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: a valve actuated drain line disposed to drain fluid from a region between the chuck and the cavity surface of the vessel.
5. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: one or more fluid dispensers positioned to directly supply a rinsing fluid to a region between the chuck and the cavity surface of the vessel.
6. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , wherein the chuck is designed so that an edge of the substrate when present will overhang the periphery of the chuck, the gap between the periphery of the chuck and the vessel interior cavity surface having sufficient size to maintain a flow path for the electroless plating solution when the substrate is present.
7. An apparatus for electroless plating of a substrate as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: a temperature control designed to control a temperature of the chuck and the vessel within a tolerance of about 1 degree Celsius.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 25, 2006
January 25, 2011
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